Which symbol became McDonald’s main corporate logo after its 1962 redesign?

McDonald’s main corporate logo after its 1962 redesign became the Golden Arches. The symbol was based on the large yellow arches built into the architecture of many early McDonald’s restaurants.

Architect Stanley Clark Meston designed the original restaurant buildings with two separate arches, one at each side of the structure. In 1962, Jim Schindler combined the arches into the familiar stylized “M” used in the company logo. The design transformed an architectural feature into a portable corporate mark.

The arches did not replace every earlier element immediately, and McDonald’s has used several logo variations over time. However, the golden “M” became the central visual identifier of the company worldwide. The symbol is often called the “Golden Arches,” even when it appears without a restaurant building. Its success came partly from repetition: the same bright color and simple shape appeared on signs, packaging, advertisements, uniforms, and restaurants across many countries.